This edited volume explores the strategic use and reception of narratives in international relations, with a particular focus on China’s global storytelling. While existing scholarship has largely examined how political elites craft strategic narratives to legitimize policies and shape global discourse, this volume advances a relational understanding of narrative power. It argues that narratives are not simply transmitted from sender to receiver but emerge through ongoing interactions between storytellers and audiences. The first part examines how China constructs and promotes global narratives. Chapters explore the ideological, historical, and geopolitical foundations of China’s storytelling and its efforts to shape international norms. The second part focuses on how audiences across Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and the Middle East receive, reinterpret, adapt, or resist these narratives. Featuring contributions from leading and emerging scholars, the volume offers a timely framework for understanding China's narrative strategies and their role in an evolving international order.